Nehruviandoom – Nehruviandoom (Sound of the Son)

The pairing of up-and-coming rap sensation Bishop Nehru and metal-faced veteran MF Doom might seem a strange one – Nehru's been championed by big mainstream rap stars like Kendrick Lamar and Nas, while Doom remains the people's champion of leftfield, abstract hip-hop. Often Doom's pairings with other rappers result in his best work – his tightly-constructed, effervescently weird imagery and triple-laced, complex rhyme patterns are a perfect companion for Nehru's effortlessly slick, polished flow.

There are plenty of highlights, from the cartoonish beats of Coming For You, laced with brightly-coloured threats from Nehru, to the spaced-out pop-funk and surreal couplets from Doom on Disastrous. If the album has a flaw, it's that Doom does not appear as a vocalist as frequently as you might hope – several tracks pair his skittish, schizophrenic productions with Nehru's smooth flow, and his absence is felt. The duo leaves the listener wanting much more, which is no bad thing. [Bram E. Gieben]